Aaron Glenn provides honest assessment of Cade Klubnik's second preseason outing

The New York Jets finally got a preseason win on Friday night, blanking the Pittsburgh Steelers on their home field 17-0. Nothing was more pleasing for Jets fans than seeing Geno Smith return and put on a show, playing practically perfectly in his debut.

There was only one thing that could've made the night better, and that would've been rookie quarterback Cade Klubnik putting on a show with his expanded reps in his second preseason outing.

Unfortunately, Klubnik didn't pop as some fans would have hoped. The fourth-round pick completed 10 of 14 pass attempts for 75 yards, had one run for 16 yards, and failed to lead the Jets offense on any scoring drives. He put them in position for a 59-yard field goal at the end of the first half, but Cade York failed to convert.

Regardless of Klubnik's performance, it's always positive to see a young player getting much-needed reps. The only way he's going to improve is in live action on the field, and that's exactly what he got tonight.

Aaron Glenn wants Cade Klubnik to continue to 'grow' after New York Jets win over Steelers

After the victory, Jets head coach Aaron Glenn spoke with reporters and was asked how he felt about Klubnik's up-and-down performance throughout the exhibition matchup. ESPN's Rich Cimini shared his response in a post on X.

"Cade Klubnik is 'gonna grow every time he's on the field.' Glad that Klubnik got a two-minute drill at end of half. Wanted to make sure he started the second half to see how he handled halftime adjustments."

The Jets seem inclined to award the backup job to Klubnik, despite him having no NFL experience under his belt as a rookie quarterback. Friday night didn't instill much confidence in that plan.

He had more opportunities than in his preseason debut, leading the Jets offense for five possessions rather than the two he got last Friday night, but he was unable to score any points and only ran four plays in Steelers territory.

It wasn't entirely his fault. Klubnik received no favors from his offensive line. The Jets' reserves up front allowed the rookie to be pressured on five of his 15 dropbacks, per Next Gen Stats, and he was unable to capitalize against Pittsburgh's pass rush.

As the regular season quickly approaches, the Jets may have to start asking questions about their current plan at backup quarterback and start seriously considering making another addition.

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